
- BGG rank
- BGG #363
- BGG rating
- 7.5
Chronicles of Crime
- 1–4 players
- 60–90 min
- Complexity 2.1/5
- 2018

2019
Rules assistance for Phone Bomb
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Phone Bomb is a board game released in 2019 for 3–6 players, 15–20 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by David Cicurel and its main mechanics are Team-Based Game and Semi-Cooperative Game.
Phone Bomb is an hybrid game in which you'll have to cooperate to defuse a bomb. This bomb is managed by a mobile application. While you lunch the app, you've got 60 seconds to successfully disarm a bomb. To do this, all players receive 4 cards. When you get the bomb in front of you, you'll have to play two cards. If you can make a symbol by pairing the good cards, you'll be allowed to do the corresponding action on the bomb. For example, by playing two cards with a red wire, you'll be allowed to cut a red wire from the bomb. You can also add time, get information on the wires, flee or prepare your interview. After playing two cards, you realise the action on the bomb, you give it to the next player and you take 2 cards. Last point is, while a player handle the bomb, all other players can exchange their cards. The only restriction is not to show your cards. To disarm the bomb, you'll have to cut 3 good wire. But there are also 3 trapped wires that make the bomb explode if you cut them all. When you think the operation will be a failure, you better have to flee. If the game seems cooperative at the first play, it isn't. If the bomb is defused, only the players who stay in the team get 2 points. If the bomb explode, only the ones who flee get 1 point. In an advanced mode, you get a random objective for the round. So for example, you'll get one point if you cut all the blue wire ... even if the bomb explode. —description from the publisher
Phone Bomb supports 3–6 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Phone Bomb is 15–20 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Phone Bomb for ages 10 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Phone Bomb has a complexity rating of 1.5 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Phone Bomb belongs to these categories: Card Game, Party Game, and Real-time. Its main mechanics are Team-Based Game and Semi-Cooperative Game. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Phone Bomb are: David Cicurel. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Phone Bomb as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.